The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has charged two members of a syndicate, Ojobo Joshua and Aliyu Hashim, with impersonating and attempting to blackmail the EFCC’s Executive Chairman, Ola Olukoyede.
They were arraigned on Wednesday before Justice Jude Onwuebuzie of the Federal Capital Territory High Court in Apo, Abuja.
The anti-graft agency accused the suspects of contacting Mohammed Bello-Koko, the former Managing Director of the Nigerian Ports Authority, and claiming to have information about a bogus EFCC probe involving him.
According to the EFCC, the defendants requested $1 million, stating that Olukoyede would secure Bello-Koko’s “soft landing”.
The EFCC charged the two with impersonation and attempted fraud, according to a statement released by Dele Oyewale, Head of Media and Publicity.
Count two of the charges read, “That you, Ojobo Joshua (aka PA to Chairman EFCC) and Aliyu Hashim, on or about September 28, 2024, in Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, with intent to defraud, attempted to obtain the sum of $700,000 (Seven Hundred Thousand United States Dollars) by pretense from Mohammed Bello-Koko.
“You falsely represented to him that there was a pending EFCC petition against him, which you could influence the Executive Chairman to halt. This act is contrary to Section 8(b) and punishable under Section 1(3) of the Advanced Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act No. 14, 2006.”
